During this episode, we chat with researcher Jonathan Wai about the strong spatial skills exhibited by many engineers. We also discuss why standardized tests don’t measure spatial abilities, the manner in which highway clover leafs are designed, and how one particular co-host would go about reconfiguring his local deli counter.

Adam describes the process of designing a highway interchange. Although it’s not a purely analytical method, he assures us it does not involve the use of a Spirograph (as suggested by Carmen).

Our guest for this episode is Dr. Jonathan Wai, a research scientist who writes about developing expertise in both educational and occupational settings. In addition to his academic articles, his writings have appeared in Psychology Today, the Los Angeles Times, Forbes, Education Week, and many other magazines and newspapers.

Certain scientific fields, including psychology, use an idealized hypothetical construct to explain that which cannot be measured directly.

With regard learning more about spatial abilities, Jon recommends the work of David Lohman, a Professor Emeritus with the University of Iowa, and also that of David Lubinski, a Professor of Psychology with Vanderbilt University.

Hierarchical models of intelligence propose that each individual’s general intelligence (or g factor) is augmented by abilities in ostensibly dissimilar cognitive tasks, such as mental, verbal and spatial reasoning.

Terry Tao is an example of the rare individual who can perform at the highest levels of mathematical reasoning.